Are you having the hardest time finding a pair of comfortable dress shoes to accommodate your high instep? Do you feel like most dress shoes rub against the top part of your feet? Women with high insteps have the hardest time finding comfortable shoes to wear, and when it comes to dress shoes, the quest to find a comfortable shoe gets even harder. I am going to show you a list of the best dress shoes for women with high insteps based on my many years of shoe fitting experience.
Some women have dealt with a high instep for most of their life, while for some others this is something new they have to deal with. There are other factors that affect what dress shoes you should wear such as your foot width (narrow, medium, wide, extra wide).
I work for a shoe store that specializes in helping people with “complicated” foot shapes such as narrow, wide, extra wide feet, and high insteps. Nowadays, I help women from all over the world find the perfect pair of shoes for their feet online. I get contacted by many women with high insteps on a daily basis, so I decided to create this resource to clarify their doubts and hopefully help them find the perfect pair of dress shoes for their unique foot shape.
I have noticed that as we age, the body’s ligaments and tendons lose their strength and ability to spring back. This means that our arches decrease, which flattens and lengthens the foot and toes. This often results in an increase in shoe size by a half-size or more. You might also experience a change in foot width, meaning that even though you always ordered medium width shoes, now you might have to start ordering wider shoes.
How Does a High Instep Looks Like?
The instep is the top part of the foot, and here are a few examples of women with high insteps:
Is Having a High Arch the Same thing as Having a High Instep?
No, a lot of women believe that having a high arch automatically means that they have a high instep. It’s true that most women with high arches tend to have a high instep, but I have seen women who have flat feet who also have high insteps.
What Makes the Dress Shoes that I Recommend Ideal for Women with High Insteps?
1️⃣ Extra Depth
This is a key feature for women who have high insteps, as it allows the feet to sit deeply inside the shoes. The deeper the shoes are, the deeper your feet will sit inside the shoes. Shoes with extra depth help prevent the top part of your feet (instep), from rubbing against the top part of the shoes. Take a look at the image below for better visualization purposes:
2️⃣ Available in Different Widths
The dress shoes that I recommend are available in different widths such as narrow, medium, wide, and extra wide widths. This is going to help accommodate your instep and foot shape at the same time.
When Was the Last Time You Checked Your Foot Size?
When was the last time you had your feet measured to check your shoe size? As I mentioned before, your foot shape and size can change over time, and some of the factors that contribute to this change are pregnancy, aging and weight gain or loss. Over time and because of gravity, our feet will get longer and wider.
If you are unsure of your current foot shape or foot length, I suggest that you take a look at a different resource I created where I help women determine their exact foot shape from home:
How to Measure Your Foot Shoe Size – The Most Simple and Effective Way!
Best Dress Shoes for Women with High Insteps
Take a look at the description below each dress shoe to find out what additional features the shoe provides, the materials the shoes are made of, and the size you should order to prevent your longest toe from rubbing against the front part of the shoes. Disclosure: We may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases.
- Available in medium, and wide widths
- 100% leather
- Ortholite footbed
- Heel measures approximately 2 inches
- Order this dress shoe a half size larger than your longest foot size
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Leather upper
- TPU midsole plate and TPU outsole supply full foot support and stability
- Split suede non-slip helps to reduce heel movement
- Order this dress shoe a half size larger than your longest foot size
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- 100% leather
- Wide toe-box offers extra room for your toes and alleviates pressure on bunions and hammertoes.
- Ergonomic outsoles with a mild rocker design enhance stability
- Order this dress shoe a half size larger than your longest foot size
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- 100% leather
- Wide toe-box offers extra room for your toes and alleviates pressure on bunions and hammertoes.
- Ergonomic outsoles with a mild rocker design enhance stability
- Order this dress shoe a half size larger than your longest foot siz
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- 100% leather
- Wide toe-box offers extra room for your toes and alleviates pressure on bunions and hammertoes.
- Ergonomic outsoles with a mild rocker design enhance stability
- Order this dress shoe a half size larger than your longest foot size
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- 100% leather
- Removable footbed
- 1.25 Inch heel
- Order this dress shoe a half size larger than your longest foot size
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- Leather outsole
- Padded footbed for ultimate comfort on your feet
- Heel measures approximately 1.75″
- Order this dress shoe a half size larger than your longest foot size
- Available in medium and wide widths
- Cushioned insoles
- Extra padding around the heels
- Order this dress shoe a half size larger than your longest foot size
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- Fully lined brush cotton linings and lightly cushioned insoles for all-day comfort
- Extra padding around the heels
- Order this dress shoe a half size larger than your longest foot size
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- 100% premium quality leather
- Insoles have extra cushion and padding
- Order this dress shoe a half size larger than your longest foot size
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide feet
- Ortholite footbed
- Durable TPR Outsole
- Order this dress shoe a half size larger than your longest foot size
- Available in medium and wide widths
- 100% leather
- Padded insole
- Order this dress shoe a half size larger than your longest foot size
- Fits medium, wide, and extra wide feet
- Leather upper
- Removable footbed
- Block heel
- Order this dress shoe a half size larger than your longest foot size
If you don’t find any of these dress shoes stylish enough don’t hesitate to contact me, as I will do my best to find you a different shoe recommendation. I wish there were more stylish options to share, but unfortunately, having a high instep can limit the shoe styles that you can wear.
Other Resources for Women with High Insteps
I created other articles to help women with high insteps find the perfect pair of shoes for their feet:
Best Sneakers for Women with High Insteps – Prevent Pain on the Top of Your Feet!
Best Mary Jane Shoes for Women with High Instep – Extra Deep, Comfortable, and Supportive!
The Best Women Sandals for High Instep — Supportive, Lightweight, Flexible, and Deep!
Are You Dealing with a Foot Condition?
I have noticed that some women in addition to having high insteps have other challenges to deal with:
- Bunions
- Flat feet
- High arches
- Long, slender toes
- Hammer toes
Do not hesitate to contact me if you are having trouble finding a different type of shoe to accommodate your wide feet:
comfortablewomenshoes@gmail.com
I’m calling on all women with high insteps to share any shoe suggestions that they might have in the comments section below!
Nice post.
I am glad you found the post informative!